To Limbo and Back
by dumbucket
Summary: Volga, trapped in limbo after his defeat, recalls how he sold his soul to Cia. When Cia is defeated, he's returned his soul and comes back to life. What does Volga's second chance at life have in store for him?
1. Chapter 1

A sense of peace, that's what he could remember. The princess' words that reminded him not to give into the darkness, to use his own strength to battle. Rejecting the darkness. A battle with the Hyrulean knight Link. Defeat. And then...nothing.

Why was there nothing? Oh, that's right, he'd sold his soul to Cia for power. He was half of what he was. And he could feel nothing.

What was one to do that had become nothing? Simply think? Just the notion made his gut boil with rage. Was this his fate? Was he doomed to go mad in the nothingness? Absurd. He wanted to thrash about, tear at this maddening nothingness, set it aflame. Anything but to just exist yet not at the same time.

He had no body to fight it with. He was stuck, doomed to go mad in a world where he felt nothing, saw nothing, heard nothing. He couldn't even scream.

Why did he accept that deal with the dark witch?

_You had to, that's why._

Humans never liked a dragon. He'd devour their livestock, they'd fight back, he would attack them in return. It became a vicious cycle. The humans took him for a villain, so he became one. He even came to enjoy the constant battles, even going so far as to steal treasure and other humans to egg battles on. But even then he'd grown bored with time. So he retreated into his home in Eldin Caves.

There he was given the respect he deserved; The lizolfos and dinolfos were his allies. They shared the spoils of their conquests, told tales of their adventures, competed for title of the strongest. Volga always claimed that title. There, in his caves, he was content.

Then _she _appeared. Cia. He heard the chaos in the distant caves beyond the gates of his domain. The gorons were fighting someone. He paid no mind until he felt a surge of power. The accursed ring that ensnared evil souls had been given form. Whoever this invader was, they were extremely powerful.

She had the audacity to offer him an allegiance. He replied with a sneer. "I've little interest in humans and their wars."

That was not the answer she was looking for. Despite the power of the dragon-kin chieftains under him, she slaughtered her way through his home. She even killed the two Dodongos that rose to defend their dragon master.

He fought with all of his strength, but she beat him. Her tactics were brutal, the dark whip's lashes stinging with a poisonous pain that slowed him down and countless moblins shot their crude arrows at him. The fight was long and gradually grew one sided. When he could fight no more, he collapsed in his original dragon form.

Volga wheezed angrily, but no fire came from his throat. He couldn't even lift his head from the rocky ground.

Cia paced around the beast, having enough audacity to run her hand along his bloodied neck. "We could help one another, you know." When Volga growled weakly, she calmly added, "Fine perish here, or even worse, survive. Live as a wounded beast unworthy to call himself a dragon knight."

That struck him to the core, making his injured body shudder. A dragon knight that couldn't fight wasn't worthy to live at all. He could feel Cia's eyes watch him think beneath the dark lenses of her mask. _What do you want? _Volga replied after a long pause.

"Your allegiance." She replied. "All of your allegiance, and I'll make you more powerful than ever."

Volga stared at her long and hard. Each breath he took was ragged and painful. The longer he thought, the more he could feel every injury his body had taken. His left wing membrane had been completely severed from his body, one of his legs mangled and broken, moblin arrows littered his body and dug deep into him. Using any power but his own went against every honorable principle he lived by. Yet if he survived this sorry state, he'd be nothing. He had no choice either way.

With a slow, shaking sigh, he shut his eyes. _I accept._

A smile wormed its way onto Cia's face. It was a twisted, dark grin, nearly dark as the glass orb that she materialized in front of her open hand. Despite its sheen, Volga couldn't see his reflection in it. There were only dark, murky depths without end. He felt as if he were falling endlessly into it merely by looking into it…Or was he actually falling? The orb was pulling him into its depths and all he could feel was falling, infinite plummeting as his chest grew hollow.

Then he felt a rush. It was like nothing he felt before. Fire coursed through his veins, spreading from his hollowed chest and to every end of his body. A loud roar bubbled in his throat and despite every injury, he slammed his talons into the ground and pushed his body up with his newfound strength. The roar he ripped loose was like nothing he'd bellowed before. Fire shot into the sky as unbridled energy ripped from his throat.

Cia laughed at the sight. The darkness consumed him like it had consumed her, unbridled and delicious. He felt unstoppable and she knew it.

Volga tore the ballistas from his body, feeling no pain. Dark energy swirled about his wounds and patched them as he watched in wonder. Everything about him felt stronger, his senses were sharper, his fire felt hotter. He bowed his head to Cia once his body mended itself with darkness.

"You are my ally now." Cia gave a single pat to his muzzle. "None will stand in our way."

Volga raised his head. Thoughts of humans, his pathetic, cunning enemies clouded his mind with rage. The darkness left nothing in him but hatred and fire and the desire to serve her. He looked down to Cia with narrowed eyes. _None._

It was a foolish deal, he realized that now. The orb that belonged to Cia, the dark orb had taken his soul, and left him drunk on power and rage. Only when the princess Zelda had called to his sense did his honor rear its head. Pushing the darkness from his body made his every limb feel like lead, but he fought with his own strength and his alone. The hero had been a truly worthy opponent. Finally he had died with honor.

That sense of peace suddenly escaped the dragon knight in his state of limbo. He'd turned to such disgraceful means just to find a worthy opponent. Would that battle even count? Was his defeat rightfully earned after what he'd done to get it?

Before Volga could ponder anymore, he felt a familiar heat on his scales. It was that of a sunny day, one that promised valiant battles and the sweetness of victory. He reveled in it. If he had wings he would take to the sky in search of battle. But then the heat grew stronger, burning as if his own flame had been turned against him. Soon he was falling, infinitely plummeting just as when he bargained his soul to Cia.

_Crash_

Volga's eyes shot open. There he lay in his human form among ruins of ancient buildings. His body ached and he felt as if thousands of hands held him down. Despite the pain, a shaky smile graced the knight's bloodied face. A single word rang in his mind.

Alive.

((author's note: This is my first published fanfic, so feedback is greatly appreciated! Based on it I'll decide to write more or not! Thanks!

author's note #2: I got the Master Quest DLC and it reveals how Cia recruited Volga and Wizzro, so I changed up the story a bit! Luckily the whole "against his will" thing that I originally wrote was right in-game!))


	2. Chapter 2

To Limbo and Back: Chapter 2

Coming back to life was far from glamorous, at least that what Volga was coming to realize. He woke where he'd died, in the dirt of the Valley of the Seers. Blood and dirt caked his armor and skin and he smelled nothing but the stench of sulfur, sweat, and rotting corpses. Every bone in his body ached and every muscle sang with pain, yet nothing could match Volga's joy. He died in his human form and awoke in it as well.

The weary knight struggled to his feet. Luckily his spear remained next to his body and it provided a handy crutch to push himself up with. Upon standing, he could see nothing around him but corpses. They were all those of bublins. They Hyruleans must've retrieved their fallen long ago. For some reason the notion brought him a sense of relief; for all their incompetence, at the least the worms treated their dead with honor.

_Focus Volga._ He shook his head, quickly regretting it when his head swam. _I need air._

Taking to his original form, Volga spread his wings and took to the skies. His dragon form ached even more than his human form, but he didn't care. He was alive. Alive. The word echoed again and again in his mind.

As a creature of fire, Volga often expressed himself with the flame that burned in his chest. With a triumphant roar, he released a storm of flame into the sky, looping back around through it. His own fire felt fantastic upon his wings. Feeling again itself was a gift he wished to revel in until his body gave out beneath him. He'd missed that full feeling in his breast, the freedom of the sky, the feeling of fire in his throat. The emptiness and power of the darkness was nothing compared to the fullness of a soul.

No matter how alive he felt, Volga couldn't fight the weakness in his body. While he was alive, he was only barely so. The true pain of battle began to settle into his bones. He'd no choice but to land. Exhausted eyes searched the rocky, harsh land for a place to rest. Finally he spotted a comfortable cave that he could've sworn beaconed to him.

_Come...rest here...come..._

So he stepped into it.

He paid no mind to the fact that the cave was a shrine of sorts, a carefully carved room with a time worn, grey tiled floor. A semi-circle pool of crystal clear water sat at the end. Despite all of the fire in his heart, even Volga desired a drink once in a while. Without as so much a thought he lumbered over to the water and lapped up greedy mouthfuls. It tasted so sweet against his tongue.

_Rest. Come here. Rest your weary wings._

Was the water talking? Maybe he was just delirious. Who knew what coming back from limbo would do to his mind. Honestly, he didn't care. With sore paws he stepped into the shallow pool. The water barely came up to his dragon body's knees, so he transformed into his human form. Removing his armor and the clothes beneath always took time. Once it was off, he sank down into the water, letting the grit and blood wash away from his skin.

When he sat up, he looked down at his reflection that danced in the water. His short, blonde hair was brown and matted with blood and grime. A large wound still bled on his forehead. No need to risk an infection. After a deep breath, he dunked his head down in the pool. He allowed himself a few moments of rest down there as the mess washed away.

_Let me heal you...I can help you..._

The water was definitely talking. Confused, Volga opened his eyes beneath the water. There a woman's face smiled at him. A loud swear escaped him, but it came out as a gurgled mess and he ended up inhaling water. He scrambled to the surface as his lungs burned with water. Before he could so much as grab the edge of the pool, two massive hands with long, painted nails scooped him up.

Volga only struggled more as the hands attempted to move his naked body around in them, but he was too weak. He could only cough and choke as he stood in the palm of a hand on all fours. Whoever it was had him in their powerful grip. He couldn't even focus enough to transform.

"Oh my, what do we have here!" A woman's voice giggled. Strong hands turned Volga around.

The dragon knight looked up and found himself gazing at a giant woman. She wore nothing but a wrap of twisted, lush vines that even wrapped around her two pink ponytails. He'd wandered right into one her fountains. The Great Fairy.

"Oh, aren't you a cute one." The Fairy cooed.

Volga found his hands covering his nether regions. "What do you want?"

She threw her head back and laughed. "A fiery one, aren't you? You're the one that came here. I call all injured and weary to rest here."

"And watched me naked."

"When you stepped into my spring, I realized that you were something..." The Great Fairy paused to think with a few bats of her long lashes. "Something worth looking at. Something different."

"You've a sick sense of voyeurism."

"And you've an awful lot of nerve, trying to call me a peeping tom."

She could've very well crushed him in her palm, but that was not the nature of fairies. Instead she held him up to her face. Despite any attempt Volga made to appear intimidating, there was little that an injured, naked dragon knight could do to appear threatening.

For a while the two just simply stared at one another until Volga spoke up. "Put me down. Now."

The Great Fairy furrowed her brow. "You've an awful lot of gall. Ask nicely."

"Now!"

"Fine." The Great Fairy turned her hand over, letting him fall into the water with a splash.

Disoriented, Volga sputtered after he quickly resurfaced. He grabbed the side of the pool and looked rapidly around. The Great Fairy had vanished. Good. Exhausted and now annoyed, he plopped down on the tile floor and dried himself with his own flame. Who did that fairy think she was, manhandling him like that? Audacious.

Once dry, he slipped on the black and red-scale patterned clothing that he wore under his armor. Grunting, he stretched and let loose a loud yawn. When he turned to his armor, he saw that it was gone. "What the-where is it?!"

_It's right here._

Volga whipped around. There the Great Fairy floated once again above her pool. His armor rested in her outstretched hand. Anger boiled in his veins and he snarled up at her. "Give. It. Back."

"I don't think so. No one insults the Great Fairy and gets away with it. Especially after how nice I was to you!" She giggled. With a close of her palm, his armor vanished into a cloud of fairies.

"NO!" It took only a moment before Volga transformed to a dragon lunged at the Great Fairy. Flaming jaws snapped in a fury as fire poured from his mouth. A pillar of fire poured out from his maw, but she simply floated to the side. He tried everything, swiping, biting, fire, but the Fairy dodged easily, almost lazily, from his blind rage. She even dared laugh at his failed attempts. His exhausted body had little fight and rage was only demanding energy that he didn't have. With one last swipe, he finally collapsed on the floor.

The Great Fairy hovered casually over her pool. "Are you done?"

Volga panted, his sides heaving with the effort. He could barely even keep his eyes open, lest speak. An insult burned on his tongue, but for once he bit it. _…yes. _He grunted.

"Good." She beaconed her hand. Several fairies floated up from the water and drifted lazily over to him with an elegant wave of her hand. When they settled on his wounds, he felt a slow but noticeable relief. "You've been a naughty dragon, but I suppose you're not _that _bad."

Volga only sighed a bit of steam at her comment.

"Why don't you sleep? Then maybe I'll have thought of something you can do to get your armor back, mm?"

_Do I have a choice? _He barely managed to ask, not bothering to open his eyes.

The Great Fairy laughed heartily. "Unless you want to run around in your skivvies! Now sleep, you silly beast."

With no other real option, and pure exhaustion pulling him down, Volga allowed himself to relax. There was a sense of safety in the Great Fairy's fountain, for whatever reason. Why she liked him he could never say. Maybe she was just bored, cruel, or maybe both. He didn't ponder it much before dozing off. He dreamed of fairies and the gentle kisses they left on his wounds.

(author's note: This chapter just sort of came to me and I couldn't shake the idea of the Great Fairy having a bit of a mischievous side. As always, feedback is greatly appreciated and will help new chapters come along more quickly! Thanks!)


	3. Chapter 3

Volga had never been a fan of fairies. Sure, they were harmless and quite helpful, what with their natural urge to heal and help those in need. There was just something about their giggly, relaxed nature that deceived the fact that they were quite powerful. Power was something to wield, to be proud of. But fairies just waited for those who needed that power. They sought nothing. Volga found it a disgusting waste.

He couldn't really complain at the moment. The battle with the Hero left him littered with more than one inhibiting wound. As a dragon those wounds only worsened and grew with his increased size, so he remained in his human form. When he woke, the fairies brought him food. It was just a simple cheese and bread meal. He was grateful for it none-the-less and quickly devoured it without question as to where it came from. In the meantime the fairies settled upon his wounds.

He'd four major wounds in total; there was a single painful abrasion on his forehead above his right brow, a cut up his left forearm crossed by another gash, and a gouge on his lower back. The gash on his forehead was most painful and the slowest to heal. Whenever the fairies settled, he would swat at them out of instinct. Luckily he never harmed any of them. At one point he even apologized to one.

Once or twice he considered stepping outside of the fountain's chambers, but he knew better. Strong as he was, the Valley of Seers was constantly strife with ill meaning creatures. Leaving without his armor and in such a battle worn state would be suicide. So he remained put, resting by the pool with his bare legs hanging in it.

"Why are you helping?" He asked a fairy that fluttered by.

She didn't reply. With a sigh he leaned back on his hands. The fairy rested on his forehead and he closed his eyes.

"This is worse than limbo." He sighed a cloud of steam.

"Don't be so sad." A tiny voice whispered.

His eyes shot open in an instant. "Who said that?!"

"Me."

"You?" Volga tried to look at the fairy that rested on his forehead, but to no avail. He saw only her shine in his upper peripherals. "You can talk?"

"All fairies can talk. Most of us just don't say much." Her voice was soft and quiet like small bells in a gentle breeze.

"The fairy that the Hero had with him couldn't shut up." Volga sneered.

"And most visitors to my Mistress's fountain aren't so ungrateful."

Normally such a smart remark would annoy Volga. But this time he laughed. The movement of his head jostled the fairy and she gripped onto his blonde hair with her dainty hands. "You have a lot of attitude for one so small."

"I'm only telling the truth." She replied once he calmed.

Volga harrumphed. "Getting mad about a peeping tom isn't ungrateful."

"She was only curious. We don't see a lot of your type here."

"'My type'?"

"Dragonkin…" The fairy fluttered down to sit on his knee. "Especially one who hunted us."

Volga's eyes widened as her words brought foggy memories rushing back. In an attempt to thwart the Hero, Cia commanded that all of her forces capture the fairies. Bits and pieces came back to him in a flood. He recalled the tiny screams of fairies as they were stuffed into cages and jars. Some were crushed in the fray. Did he kill any? He couldn't remember. The only thing prominent from the memories was the undying urge to obey Cia.

Capturing captives. Pathetic. He'd once practiced such a thing before, but quit the dishonorable habit once becoming leaders of the dragonkin. "Did they escape?" He asked.

"Yes. The defeat of Cia's forces left us unguarded."

"Were you able to help the ones that…" Volga averted his eyes from her in guilt.

"Those who died are with the Goddesses now. We don't revive our own." The fairy fluttered up to his forehead and gently kissed his wound. "Fear not, my Mistress is forgiving. She saw that your soul had been stolen."

Volga could only purse his lips and nod. He never cared for fairies, true, but he never wished any ill on them. Several moments of silence passed as he tried to recall anything else he'd done, but nothing came. All he gained from the effort was a headache.

"Do you have a name? I am Mia."

The fairy's question startled Volga, and he knocked her off of his head when he looked up. Luckily his reflexes were fast enough and he caught her in his cupped hands.

"Yes. Volga." He watched as she fluttered back into the air. Suddenly he found himself splashed with water as the Great Fairy appeared from her fountain.

The Great Fairy laughed as the knight flicked the water from his hands and glared at her in frustration. "Oh look at you, you mean little dragon. Did you remember what you did to my children?"

"It wasn't my fault." He retorted.

She crossed her arms. "Ah ah ah…I saw the darkness where your soul used to be. It's hard to ignore that much darkness in one being. But tell me…" She reached down and put a single finger under his chin to tilt his head back. "…what do you intend on doing as penance?"

"Penance?" Volga resisted the urge to push her finger away.

"You owe the land of Hyrule quite a lot after what you did. The earth still burns with the wounds your army left."

"It wasn't my army!"

The Great Fairy pulled her hand away and shook her head sadly. "Dragons. Stubborn as always. Fine then. Go see for yourself the damage that you've caused. Maybe then you'll change your mind."

Volga grabbed his spear at her words and used it as a crutch to stand. "It's about time you released me." He grunted in annoyance. "Now give me my ar-"

"I don't think so. Naughty dragons don't get their armor back, not yet." The Great Fairy laughed before vanishing into her fountain with a showy spin.

Volga growled at the rippling water. Free but without armor. Fantastic. Staying at the Fountain would do him little good, so he turned and headed into the unforgiving terrain of the Valley of the Seers. It would be a long walk, but there was one place that he could go. It was a place where he was honored and respected like he deserved. It was home. Eldin Caves. There the dragonkin would respect him and call him their leader.

_No they won't. You fell in battle. _A voice nagged him as he scanned his surroundings for danger. _Go back and you'll perish trying to claim your former title. You will die. You failed._

The voice chewed away at his thoughts every step of the way until he could no longer focus on his surroundings. Lost in thought, he slowed and stared at his feet. With his guard down, it didn't take much for two lithe bulblins to burst from their hiding place among a passing ruin. Their new scavenged weapons flashed as the lunged for the passing knight.

Volga stood little chance. Yet still he held his ground spear in hand. When one bulblin lunged for him, Volga barely parried the sword and swatted him back with the end of his spear. "Halt!" He barked.

"Neh! Don't listen to you!" The second bulblin snarled as she hopped out of Volga's sloppy spin and landed behind him. Before the knight could react, the creature clubbed him on the back of the head with her heavy gauntlet and brought him down like a stone.

"Hya heh! Easy prey!" The first bulblin scrambled from the dirt and over to his partner. He sniffed the unconscious man. "Not prey, smells funny. Bring to chief!"

The female laughed with a grin of rotted teeth. "Chain up prize. Keh heh heh. Many rewards for this one."

The male cackled and did as told. Soon the two were off, their human prize pulled not far behind them.

((author's note: Thank you so much to those who have left reviews! It's great hearing what people think about my humble little fanfic. Here's chapter 3, enjoy!))


	4. Chapter 4

The bulblin's trip ended up being a long and rough one. Normally the two got along just fine, an unusual trait for bulblins. Yet it was not one another that caused strife for them. No, it was their human prize. They decided on their usual prize-transporting travel via bulbo; During the evening they would drag their prisoner along, their catch chained to their bulbo steed and dragged along behind. They would stop to camp in a shadowy space away from do-gooders when dawn began to rise. It all went very smoothly at first.

Then their prize woke.

Shackled, dirty, and dazed, Volga slid into the consciousness. His head spun and sang with a rhythmic, throbbing pain. When he could finally make sense of his surroundings, he slowly picked out details to puzzle the world together. The ground beneath him was hard and rocky. It was dark, save for a small distant light. Sound echoed. A cave, he was in a small cave of sorts.

_But how did I-_

He couldn't move his hands. With a grunt Volga tried to pull his hands up to rub his face. Chink, chink, chink. His heart began to pound with rage. He hated chains, as any dragon should. Out of instinct he began to transform his arms to dragon form, but as he did he felt the two crossed wounds on his forearm split open. He bit back a yelp of pain and quickly transformed them back.

_You're a prisoner. Again._

His head spun at the revelation, or maybe that was the blood loss. It wasn't hard to tell that the sticky sensation on the back of his scalp was half-dried blood. Transforming even a single appendage would be far too risky. He cursed the gods for his temper and shut his eyes. Perhaps he could at least feign sleep as he formulated an escape plan.

"Hyeh, check prize for breath."

So much for that idea. A grubby hand reached from behind Volga and grabbed his short hair, forcing his head back with a pull. He roared in pain, but that only earned him a harsh shake before he was released.

"Hush!" The female bulblin slinked over to in front of Volga. She held a flask in her grimy hands. "Don't want prize dead. Going to let prize drink. No escaping, heh?"

"Let me go." Volga snarled and sat up to the best of his ability.

"Heh heh! Cornered rat bites. Now open mouth." She held out the flask.

"I wouldn't drink that spit if I was dying of thirst!"

She was obviously loosing her patience and uttered something in the gurgling bulblin language to her partner. In an instant his hands reached from behind Volga and clamped one over his nose while the other tried to pry his bottom jaw open. But he didn't hold onto his struggling prey for long. A scream ripped from the bulblin's throat and he yanked his hands away.

"Hot! Hot!" He yanked his hands away and began flapping them desperately. In the same instant Volga yanked away and let loose the flame built in his throat.

Another screech echoed in the cavern as the female toppled over. The rank stench of burnt flesh filled the air.

Volga couldn't help but laugh. They could chain his hands, but the fire that burned within him was not so easily contained. It was far too satisfying to watch the female writhe in pain as she clutched the right side of her face.

"Dragonkin!" The male hissed. "Filthy dragonkin!" He skittered over to the female's side and pulled her thrashing body out of Volga's line of fire. "Stop!" He growled at his partner as he wrenched the flask from her hand.

Volga's laughter descended into coughs, his throat dry. Normally his own flame didn't irritate him, but he truly was thirsty and wherever they camped had little moisture in the air. Luckily the bulblins paid him no mind for a while. They were too busy emptying the flask on their burn wounds and cursing Volga in their gurgling tongue.

Wherever they were was arid, pleasantly hot almost. The cave provided a cool shade and a breeze drifted in just so. The walls of the cave itself were red beneath a layer of dust. Over head a few roots cracked through the jagged walls.

Finally the two bulblins emptied their flask on their wounds. "Stupid human." The male growled as he hobbled out of the cave.

Parched as he was, Volga was relieved that they emptied the flask. Bulblins were filthy creatures. More than once had they attacked the dragonkin and always they were defeated. Normally the dragonkin would feast upon fallen enemies, given they had enough flesh. But fleshy as they were, bulblins were grisly creatures that had yet to discover the concept of bathing. Even now their rank scent of filthy clothes, sweat, and rotted meat from meals past tainted the cave air.

Their small stature and lack of strength made bulblins easy individual opponents, so they found power in sheer numbers. Normally two bulblins would've proved no challenge for Volga and he couldn't help but feel shame. Ever since coming back to life, he'd been weak. It was only now that he'd come to realize how truly weak he'd become. Breaking out with sheer force wasn't an option now.

The male wobbled back into the cave with a foggy jar in hand. He gurgled at the female that sat away from Volga, hand over the right side of her face. Her partner handed her the jar. Greedily she pried it open and smeared the thick liquid on her face.

"Dog needs muzzled." She hissed.

The male grunted in agreement. He began to undo one of his tattered arm wraps as he slowly stepped toward Volga.

To his best ability, Volga sat upright and snarled back. "Get that rag anywhere near me and I'll burn you to cinders." He opened his mouth and let loose a small, momentary flame to prove his point. The heat stung his mouth, but he hid the fact with ease. Hopefully they'd buy the false threat.

The two stared one another down for but a few moments before the bulblin put the wrap back on. "Stupid dog..." He turned to make sure his partner had covered the whole of her burns with the cream.

"Where are you taking me?" Volga demanded.

"Chief." He garbled.

"What does he want?"

"Food? Toy? Koldun never know. Don't care." Koldun helped his partner stand and cackled. "Big prize for you. Walk Ilok."

Before Volga could ask anymore questions, Koldun helped Ilok gimp out of the cave. For a moment he considered braving the possibly life threatening wounds in order to transform and escape. Before he could decide Koldun returned with a the reigns of a bulbo in one hand and a throwing knife in the other. The hulking bulbo barely fit into the cave. Sitting atop it, Ilok had to duck slightly to avoid scraping her scalp on the cave ceiling. "Make fire and bulbo gore you good." She warned as Koldun tentatively moved toward Volga.

The creature didn't need to tell him twice. A trained bulbo was certainly a force to be reckoned with, and Volga was in no fighting state. With his mouth already threatening to blister, he couldn't risk using fire for a while. "Fine."

"Good dog." Koldun pulled a key from the filthy folds of his clothes. The chain that held Volga was wrapped around a tangle of roots that protruded from the cave walls. He unlocked the rusty lock and gave the long chain a yank, pulling Volga back.

Volga toppled with the yank and grunted as his head hit the uneven ground. The half-healed wound on the back of his head quickly reopened, wracking his head with pain. By the time he managed to sit up, the long chain was wrapped around the hulking bulbo's neck.

"Stand."

He refused, staying firmly put. No bulblin would command him.

"Stand!"

Volga didn't move.

Koldun had no patience left. He clambered onto the bulbo and grabbed the reigns. Once situated, he gurgled something to the brutish creature. It backed slowly out of the cave, simultaneously trying to pull Volga with by his chained wrists.

With a shout of anger and frustration, Volga used the forward pull to stand on his feet. In the next instant he gathered all of his strength and pulled back against the brute. The bulbo snorted in surprise and pulled back with a toss of its head. Soon the two were in a tug of war, the bulbo trying to back out of the cave as Volga yanked back. Every muscle in his body screamed as he gripped the rusty chain that held him, pulling with what little might he had left. He would not become a prisoner of these putrid beasts, nor a meal or toy for their chief to enjoy before getting bored and slaughtering him.

Then a familiar, tinkling voice cried out to him.

"Stop, you'll kill yourself!"

"What?"

That moment of distraction was all it took. The bulbo gave one fierce toss of his head and forced Volga to the ground. Rocks scraped at his face for a few painful moments while he was dragged out of the cave.

Koldun and Ilok found the whole ordeal rather funny by the time they entered the open air. They gurgled and chortled with laugher as Volga clamored onto his feet and furiously wiped his scraped face. Luckily he hadn't been cut, but the terrain had been enough to leave painful pink scratches on his face.

"No more games! Walk!" Ilok snapped once their laughter died down.

"Just go with them, please. You'll die if you fight them now."

Volga nearly protested, but he knew that the voice that only he heard was right. If he waited just a bit more he may be able to formulate a way to escape by means other than brute strength. He only gave a curt nod to the two creatures and began to walk behind the lumbering bulbo. As they went along he finally realized where they were. Lanayru Desert, the very heart of the bulblin territories. Like a beaten dog he followed along. The sand began to seep into his boots, the setting sun beat down on his grit covered under armor and he welcomed it. Soon the desert would be covered by a bitter cold.

The bulblin duo kept a close eye on Volga at first, but over time they noticed him fighting his weariness and came to ignore him. He wasn't going to be defiant any time soon. The exhausted knight was too lost in his thoughts. Who had spoken? Would he even make it to their camp in his wounded state? Normally he wouldn't question his strength, but since he'd come back it was one ordeal after another. He'd already a hard time keeping his eyes open.

"I'm glad you listened."

Volga's head shot up. The bulblins hadn't heard the voice, they were still looking forward. That's it, he was going mad.

"Down here."

"Wh-" Volga glanced down. Something squirmed out of his shirt and fluttered in front of his face. "You? From the fountain?"

"Mia." The red fairy reminded him calmly. "My mistress sent me after you. She knew you'd need help."

"The Great Fairy?" He kept his voice low.

"Yes. I insisted. You're still hurt." She fluttered to the wound on his forehead.

"How'd you not get crushed back there?"

"I'm very careful." She gently kissed the dirty wound.

Volga felt instant relief and sighed softly. "Thank you, Mia."

"You should've stayed."

"I know."

"Then why did you leave?"

Volga shook his head slowly. "I don't know."

"You're quite confusing." Mia fluttered to the bludgeon wound on the back of his head, much to his relief. His forehead wound was far from healed, but she provided immense relief to it.

For the longest time they walked along in silence. Everyone kept quiet as the sun fell beneath the horizon and the aching cold of the desert night set in. The bulblins lit a lantern for themselves and wrapped their bodies in a crude hide blanket to keep warm. Volga was left to walk along in the cold. Mia even retreated into the front of his shirt when it became too cold for her to bear. He didn't mind.

Volga's steps became sluggish with time. The cold seeped into his very bones and each step was painful. He just wanted to shut his eyes and bury in the sand in a desperate attempt to find warmth. The ends of his fingers began to go numb but with his wrists chained together, he'd no way to warm them. To use his fire would be too risky. Maybe he would just freeze to death in the gods forsaken desert.

Then firelight flickered in the distance. A camp.

"Home." Koldun laughed and egged the Bulbo on.

Volga stumbled numbly behind.

((author's note: Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews that you guys have left, I'm just so humbled by your guys' kind words! Here's chapter 4, it's a little longer than the others, but I hope that you guys enjoy it!)


	5. Chapter 5

For all of their stupidity, bulblins managed to learn with time. Volga had never seen a camp like this before. Crude but sturdy gates wrapped around the northern and western edges of the camp while tall ruins flanked the south and east. There was but a single gate covered in a sloppy cover of tattered, presumably stolen shields of various crests. A tower stood on either side of the gate where lookouts kept watch.

At the moment the current lookouts were two bokoblins clad in mismatched, poorly fitting armor. It was probably salvaged from carcasses. When Ilok called up to them, they turned and shouted to whomever was below. Two bulblins pushed open the gates. The groan of rusted metal sent an uncomfortable shudder down Volga's spine.

The bulbo began forward, pulling Volga's wrists and making him stumble. He quickly regained his composure and followed along. The warmth of fire and bodies in the camp were a welcome change from the cold, despite the rank odor that accompanied it. Volga sighed with relief. He'd take the stench over freezing to death any day.

All around tents were set haphazardly up, made from mismatched cloths and animal pelts. While the gurgling language of the bulblin's could be heard, most of the creatures were in their tents. A few gathered around the fire that acted as center to the camp. In the distance Volga could hear snorting from where the bulbos were penned. The small caravan made its way over to said pen where Volga's chain was undone from the bulbo.

Ilok cackled as she held to Volga's chain, "Chief going to like prize."

Volga only sneered in reply. That earned him a violent tug.

"Stupid!" Ilok grumbled. With no more to say, she lead him toward the fire.

A few bulblins were brave enough to jab at Volga with their grubby fingers. When the dragon knight finally feigned as if he were going to bite one's finger off, they backed off.

"Chief!" Ilok walked over to the largest tent. It was a surprisingly well-kept one, what with a lack of questionable stains and makeshift patches.

If anything, Volga expected an overweight bulblin to step out, but who they called chief truly shocked him. A man-a _Hyrulean _man-stepped out of the tent. Unlike the bulblins, he appeared somewhat clean, if a bit unshaven. Had it not been for the burns along his face and his mangled left eye, he'd have been rather handsome. He turned his cold gaze on Volga.

"What is this, Ilok?" He asked, voice raspy from years of yelling.

"Prize, Chief! Caught prize in Seer Valley," She chirped excitedly.

The man walked over to Volga. He carried himself with confidence, yet caution. When he neared, Volga recognized the man's armor. It was that of a Hylian Captain, although the emblem of Hyrule had been melted off of his breastplate. The deformed guardian bird was strangely unsettling. For several moments, he simply stared Volga down.

"You?" He asked, an air of entertained disbelief about him.

"What?" Volga narrowed his eyes.

The man stood for a few moments as he studied Volga carefully.

"Prize broken in!" Ilok chattered excitedly. She gave a hard pull on the chain. Taken off guard, Volga landed face down into the dirt.

The bulblins around roared with laughter and cheers.

"Ilok!" At the chief's snap, every bulblin fell silent. The man held out his hand to his underling.

Ilok hesitated for a moment before handing over the chain.

"I will reward you later," The chief remained calm even as the seething dragon knight stood. "For now, bring fresh fruit and water to my tent." With a wave of his hand, the bulblins quickly dispersed.

Volga tried to wipe the dirt from his face, but the task proved awkward with his chained wrists.

"Come."

Volga looked up to the chief. "Excuse me?"

"You're in no position to be rebellious. Just follow me."

Fighting had won him nothing so far, so Volga begrudgingly followed the chief into his tent. It was a comfortable and spacious lodge. A plush bed sat on one edge and on the other was a makeshift table with a chest beneath. Warm lamps and a single brazier illuminated the multitude of treasures that laid about. A bulblin slipped in quickly to set a bowl of fruit and a pitcher of water on the table. Despite the calming atmosphere, Volga kept his guard up. Who knew what such a traitor would pull. Those without honor were not to be trusted. Volga had always lived by that principle.

"Take a seat," The chief himself sat down on an aged, probably stolen chair decorated with pillows. There were no other places to sit but the floor.

Volga remained standing.

The chief raised a brow, but said nothing, "My name is Adar, chief of the Lanayru bulblins. I need not tell you that, I see. You seem more intelligent than them."

"Let me go."

The blunt statement didn't break Adar's collectedness, "Excuse me? You were caught fairly. You're ours now."

"Bulblin law is not the law of the land."

"Oh? But neither is yours, nor is the Queen's. The law is what we decide to follow. I learned that the hard way," He chuckled bitterly.

"I'm not here to debate philosophies," Volga resisted pulling at his chains.

"No, you're not. Forgive this bitter old veteran. It's been a long time since I've had someone intelligent to speak to," He waved his hand.

"You want to talk?" Volga furrowed his brow.

"Ha! Barely. What I need is muscle, and you've plenty of it. I know who you are," Adar sat back and looked Volga up and down approvingly, "A dragon is indeed an honorable welcome to my humble tribe."

"I see no honor here. You're just a coward and a traitor. Disgusting."

Adar's cool facade dropped in an instant. Anger boiled to the surface as he stood and strode over to Volga. In one swift movement, he brought the back of his hand across Volga's face. Given that he wore gauntlets, the force sent Volga sprawling to the ground. A small table was knocked over as he fell and the jug of water atop it spilled on him.

"Arrogant dragon. I'll put you in your place," Adar pulled the chain angrily before walking over to the chest beneath his map-covered table. By the time Volga clamored to his feet, Adar had pulled out an ancient branding iron. There was something unsettling about the seal on it, something magic.

Volga's blood ran cold as Adar heated the iron in the tent's singular brazier. Fear turned to rage and Volga felt the fire build up in his parched throat. He didn't care if his mouth was blistered for weeks. "Get away," He growled in warning. The smack took his already exhausted self further off balance. He barely kept on his feet. But he wasn't going down without a fight. When Adar stepped within arm's reach, he grabbed the chain and jolted it back. The force was just enough to rip it from his hands.

Adar cried out as the end of the chain snapped against his palm. Instinctively he released it. The moment was just enough for Volga. Adar didn't have enough time to react as the chain lifted into the air, whipped back, and lashed across his face. The force sent him to the side with a crash.

Wasting no time, Volga grabbed the trail of chain and bolted. Two bulblins were knocked clean off their feet as he ran past. His frozen muscles ached when he ran into the cold, but he paid them no heed even as they grabbed at what little of the chain trailed behind him.

"Get him!"

Volga only ran faster into the desert at Adar's furious shout. Bulblins gurgled from their tents as they awoke. One emerged as he neared another tent. Using the chain again, he whipped it forward and knocked the creature clean off its feet. The knife in its hand fell to the sand and Volga wasted no time in picking it up before rushing on.

The camp's sleepy murmur grew into a flurry of activity. Bulblins shook off their sleep and grabbed their weapons. Luckily the sudden influx of activity also bred plenty of confusion.

"Volga…what are you doing?" Mia poked out from Volga's shirt collar.

"Getting out of here," Volga slipped behind a mess of draped furs and supply crates.

"You don't have the strength. You can't survive in the desert."

"I have to."

"But your hands-"

"I'll find a way to get them off. Just stay down."

Arguing with Volga was futile. She tucked back into his shirt. Soon enough she felt him running and the muffled sound of chaos nearing.

_Shk. Shk. Shk._

Arrows whistled past Volga's head.

_Please be careful. _She thought as she nuzzled close against his warm body. Closing her eyes, she felt him jolt around, dodging as he tried to get a grip on the sand. Bulblins' screams were muffled by the shirt she hid in.

It felt like an eternity before the chaos settled, but Volga didn't stop even when it did. Mia felt as she might get sick as she was jolted about. If only he would slow down just a bit.

She lost track of time. Eventually her prayers were answered and the jolting slowed to a walk. She poked her head out of his collar, "Volga?" She fluttered in front of him.

Sweat beaded Volga's head as he struggled for breath. His eyes stared forward, glazed over. He carried himself as if his body had become lead, yet still he trudged on.

"Volga?" Mia repeated.

No reply.

She fluttered next to his head. A firm yank to his ear should get his attention. She braced herself for his anger and pulled at the pointed tip of his ear with all her might.

Volga turned his head to look at her. He fought to keep his eyes open. The last of his lingering energy had been spent.

Mia's heart began to race as she slapped his cheek with her tiny hands, "You need to find shelter. Come on, just a little more."

Each step he took grew slower and slower. The heavy chain left a snaking trail behind them as the rising sun began to reflect off of the worn metal. Volga opened his mouth to reply to Mia, but quickly turned his head away to cough. Heaves shook his body as he fell to all fours. The world began to wobble beneath his feet. Again and again he tried to stand only to fall back down in a cloud of sand. Mia's pleads began to sound more and more distant. Sleep pulled at his mind endlessly. The fairy's pleads grew silent the instant he shut his eyes.

((author's note: hey guys, I'm **SO** sorry this chapter took me so long. I kept getting stuck on what to do and how to go about it. I finally went for the big push and finished it for y'all. Enjoy! I apologized if it seems a bit rushed, but I promise that this isn't the last we'll be seeing of Adar. As always, comments are greatly appreciated~))


	6. Chapter 6

Mia feared for the worst. Volga lay in the sand, out cold from exhaustion. The harsh desert sun crawled higher into the sky. Already the heat pounded on her translucent wings as she fluttered around Volga frantically.

"Please wake up," she landed in the sand next to his face. No matter how hard she smacked his cheek, he remained asleep. Maybe a bit of magic would help. She wiped the grit from his cheek and gently kissed it.

Volga didn't stir.

She needed help. There had to be a good soul somewhere in the grand expanse of the Lanayru Desert.

_I'll lose him if I leave. If I stay here, he'll die._

She'd no other choice. Wings buzzing, she flew northward. The heat grew as the sun rose higher, but she refused to let the elements stop her. Fairies, however, were not blessed with stamina. By the time the sun reached a quarter way into the sky, exhaustion forced her to land. The Goddesses were merciful, however, and she found shade under a scrub.

Aside from the occasional scrub like her resting spot, the desert proved vast and empty. The only feature that Mia made out in the distance was a grand expanse of cliff. Someone had to live there, someone who could help. There was just the matter of finding them.

Mia took to the air once again. The cliff lay only a quarter million wingbeats away, she could make it. She'd only flown about a hundred wingbeats before she spotted several figures in the distance. Had she the breath, she'd have sighed with relief.

With all her tiny might, she quickly turned and shot towards the figures. "Hey!" She shouted, "over here! Over he-" She nearly fell to the ground as she tried to halt. After evening out, she squinted.

Bulblins.

Mia never flew so fast in her life.

"Volga?"

Who was calling his name? They sounded familiar.

"Volga!"

A tiny slap to the cheek and Volga's eyes jolted open. For several moments the world was nothing but a mess of noise and blackness. Even when he gathered himself he made out nothing but incoherent, distant voices and a putrid stench.

"You're okay," someone sighed with relief.

"Who...?" He grunted. His eyes darted about but he saw only darkness.

"It's Mia."

Mia. That's right. Like a person clearing the grog from their mind after a nap, Volga recalled everything. The last thing he remembered was the heat of the desert. Exhausted, he'd passed out. Then what? He turned his head to Mia. Her soft rosy glow hurt his eyes for a moment.

"Where are we?" He asked.

A long pause passed between them, "They found you again."

"They?"

"The Bulblins."

He didn't need to ask how. Lanayru Desert was the Bulblins' home. A passed out human wouldn't prove difficult to find.

"We're back in their camp," Mia continued as she settled on his shoulder, "They threw you into they bulbo pen."

Volga furrowed his brow. Now that she mentioned it, he could hear hoarse grunts and slow, heavy steps around of him. No stars danced overhead, making the pen completely enclosed. He moved to stand but chains around his wrists forced him back down. The rocky ground colliding with his head reminded him of the wound that'd not yet healed.

"How long have I been out?" He grunted.

Having taken to the air with his jolt, Mia settled on his knee, "Two days. They kept you alive somehow and..."

"What?"

"I don't know how to explain," she shook her head slowly.

"Mia," Anger bubbled in Volga's chest. In that instant he knew that something was wrong. Fire _always_ accompanied strong emotions, a familiar flame that churned in his breast. But now he felt cold. Instantly his hand flew over his heart. Immediately he pulled it away when his fingers burned with cold at the touch of a raised mark beneath his shirt. "What-"

"He used this...iron on you. I didn't hear everything he said but..."

"What did he do?!" He grabbed her and held her close to his face. Intense eyes stared her down. She cowered in his grip and held her hands up. His cold heart sank at the sight and he gently set her down. "I-"

"It's fine," Mia shakily replied. Her heart pounded in her ears, but somehow she knew he didn't intend her any harm.

For several long moments silence rested on them like a suffocating blanket. Volga drowned in his racing thoughts. Mia mentioned an iron. No. Not the iron Adar threatened to brand him with? He refused to wrap his mind around it.

"I'm sorry," Mia flew up to his face and held her hands close to her chest. There would be no consoling him. Adar literally trapped Volga in his human body. The mighty dragon along with his flame sealed away and stolen. Even in the dim light she radiated, she could see the lack of fire that burned behind Volga's keen, blue eyes.

Volga replied with a shaky exhale. Normally his human form proved one of convenience, but now it'd become a prison. He brought his hands to the mark over his heart. Still it burned like frigid metal and he yanked them away.

"How?" He managed to ask.

"I don't know. I don't recognize that symbol," Mia admitted.

"Can you heal it?"

"I tried when you were still passed out," she bore her palms up to him to show him the blisters. Upon close inspection, he saw similar blisters along the thin line of her mouth.

Volga sat back with a slow shake of his head, "Adar is a dead man."

As if on cue, the sound of old metal squealing with protest echoed in the chamber. The light of dawn of dusk-neither of them could tell-poured in. Instantly Mia fled into the collar of Volga's shirt.

Once his eyes adjusted, Volga noticed that the bulbo pen was a large cavern gated off by a rusting but sturdy door. "Speak of demons and they will come," Volga growled under his breath.

Hands clasped behind his back, Adar stepped in the cave flanked by two bulblins, "There's our prize catch. I have good news for you."


End file.
